Besiktas Lose Semih, In The Hunt For Center

Semih Erden scoring under the basket for Besiktas Milangaz before leaving the game with a broken thumb

Deron Williams had fans of Besiktas buzzing while pouring in 50 points in a 105-94 EuroChallenge win over BG Göttingen on Tuesday night.

The mood after the club's third straight triumph in the EuroChallenge was not festive, though, because the team's Turkish center Semih Erden broke his right thumb in the game and is now facing two to three months on the sidelines.

Doctors will examine the injury on Wednesday and determine if the 2.11m Erden requires surgery.

Even before Erden's injury, Besiktas were in the market for a center and there are a lot of possibilities due to the NBA lockout.

Besiktas approached Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves but the Team USA big man said on Sunday: "I didn't feel it was the right decision for me at this time."

Los Angeles Lakers big man Lamar Odom, in the USA side with Love that won gold at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Istanbul, has been linked with the team as well as the Phoenix Suns center Marcin Gortat of Poland.

Erden, 25, played 25 minutes in the victory over Göttingen and had nine points and six rebounds.

In six games in Turkey's BEKO Basketbol Ligi, he averaged just over nine points, six rebounds and 1.2 blocks.